Matrix grinding and marking machine



iApril 8, 1941- .1. E. SHEAFFER 2,237,506

MATRIX GRINDING AND MARKING MACHINE April 8, 1941 J. E. sHEAFr--ERi `2.237.506

MATRIX GRINDING AND MARKING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 8, 1941. 1 E SHEAFFER 2.237.506

MATRIX GRINDING AND MARKING MACHINE i Filed May 22, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 IHHHIII INVENTOR Y Byajmrg. WITNEsyo-lxwy/ 4 ATTORNEYS April 8, 1941. J. E. sHEAl-FER 2,237,506

MATRIX GRINDING AND MARKING MACHINE ENTO ATTORNEYS Eby/ew Patented Apr. 8, 1941 UNITED MATRIX GRINDING AND MARKING MACHINE;

John E. Sheaifer, Louisville, Ky.

Application May Z2, 1939, Serial No. 275,049

12 Claims.

This invention relates to matrix grinding and marking machines, and more particularly to a machine for reconditioning matrices and marking them for identification so as to be readily distinguished from other matrices which have not been reconditioned.

One object of the invention is to improve generally upon machines of this character so` as to secure accuracy and precision in grinding the ilat contact portions of the sideface of the matrix to effectively remove therefrom the crevices which occur in the use of the matrix and fill with metal in the process of casting in a Linotype or other type line casting machine and thereby produce hairlines which give to the printed matter an objectionable fuzzy appearance.

Another object is to provide a practical means of conveying off the gritty particles resulting from the grinding operation and effectively preventing such particles from coming in contact with the Working parts ofthe machine.

With these and other objects toI be attained, as will hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists in the novel general structure and in the particular parts and combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter specied and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings illustrating a practical adaptation of the invention, and in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the as' sembled machine;

Figure 2 is a View of the machine, partly in top plan with the head and certain of the parts carried thereby removed, and partly in section substantially on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an inverted plan view of the head and parts carried thereby, certain parts being shown in horizontal section.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the machine, cn

a reduced sca-le, with parts broken away and removed to disclose interior provisions;

Figure 5 is an inverted plan view of the bottom portion of the machine on the same scale as that of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section taken on or about the line 6--6 of Figure l;

Figure 7 is a view partly in elevation and partly `in vertical section of the base, intermediate housing portion and head, illustrating part of the suction system for collecting the particles resulting from the ,grinding operation;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary View of a portion of Cil the mechanism for actuating and controlling the matrix marking device of the machine;

Figure 9 is a View partly in inverted plan and partly in section on the line 9--9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary View partly in top plan and partly in section on the line llll0 of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary View, on an enlarged scale, illustrating partly in elevation and partly in section, certain parts of the matrix marking mechanism which are directly, associated with the saw element;

Figure l2 is a section on the line I2-I2 of Figure 11;

Figure 13 is an end view of the driving sleeve for the shaft of the saw element;

Figurerll is an inner end View of the adjusting element for the shaft of the saw element;

Figure 15 is a cross section through the head of the machine taken substantially on the line |5#-I5 of Figure 4;

Figure 16 is a fragmentary top plan View with the matrix hopper removed but showing associated parts which cooperate above the matrices which are successively delivered from the hopper to the grinding element;

Figure 17 is a fragmentary View showing the matrix hopper in front elevation and associated parts which control the delivery of the matrices in section;

Figure 1'7a is a fragmentary vertical section of the lower portion of the gauge gate which controls the delivery outlet of the matrix hopper;

Figure 18 is a foreshortened bottom plan View of the backing plate for the presser elements which act upon the matrices when the latter are moved from the hopper to the grinding element;

Figure 19 is a section on the line I S--l 9 of Figure 17, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 20 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating details of the adjustable supporting and driving means for the grinding element.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral l designates the base of the machine on which is mounted a body casing or shell 2, a head 3 being mounted on the upper end of said casing or shell 2. Preferably, the opposite side walls of the body casing or shell 2 are relatively thick, as at 2a, while the arcuate end wall portions are relatively thin, as at 2b, and made detachable for ready access to the interior of the body or shell as occasion requires. No specific means of fastening the body casing or shell 2 to the base I or the head 3 to the casing or shell 2 is shown, as any obvious means of accomplishing this may be employed.

Mounted on a horizontal shelf portion 4 of the base I is a conventional electric motor which is utilized for driving a grinding element, certain actuating elements associated with the grinding element, and a blower which is a part of the suction system for collecting the particles of grit and free dust resulting from the grinding operation.

As shown, the grinding element 6, which is in the form of a flat circular disk of abrasive material, having a central opening 1, is mounted on a rotary carrier 8 having an annular supporting ilange 9 and a central depression I8, the annular wall portion of said depression being upwardly flared. The bottom plate portion of the depression I8 is provided with a central hub I I in which is received the reduced upper end portion I2 of the driving shaft I3 of the motor, which shaft, as shown, is a direct extension of the armature shaft of the motor. A portion of the shaft I3, inwardly from its reduced portion I2, is externally screw-threaded to receive thereon an internally screw-threaded sleeve portion I4 of a supporting collar I5 for the hub portion I I of the grinding element carrier 8. This supporting collar I5 is adjusted longitudinally of the reduced portion I2 of the motor shaft I3 by turning the sleeve portion I4 of the collar on the threaded portion of the shaft I3 and locking the sleeve portion on the shaft by tightening a jam nut I6 on the shaft against the lower end of the sleeve I4. To lock the hub II to the supporting collar I5 so that the two parts rotate together, a dowel pin I'I is threaded at one end and secured in the correspondingly threaded opening in the collar I5, the opposite end portion of the pin being received in a smooth bored opening provided therefor in the hub II. To lock the grinding element carrier 8 against endwise movement relative to the motor shaft I3, a collar I8 is placed about the end portion of the shaft I3 which protrudes above the hub II of the grinding element carrier 8, said collar I8 being of substantial thickness which is greater than the normal distance of protrusion of the shaft, said collar I8 supporting a cap disk I9 on its upper end. As shown, the cap disk I9 is provided with a central opening which is upwardly flared to receive therein the tapered head 20 of a retaining screw 2| which is screw-threaded reversely to the threading of the shaft portion on which the sleeve I4 is located, in other words, if there are right hand threads on the shaft, the screw 2I is provided with left hand threads, and vice versa. By this provision the longitudinal adjustment of the supporting collar I5 on the shaft I3 may be readily effected to raise and lower the grinding element to compensate for the wearing down of its upper face and at the same time the grinding element carrier 8 is securely locked against both rotative and endwise movement relative to the shaft I3 after the desired adjustment is effected.

In the structure shown, the collar I5 and its adjacent sleeve portion are afforded a bearing in a cross member I5a connecting the upper portions of the heavy side members 2a of the body casing 2, the bearing being provided by counterboring a vertical bore in said cross member I5a. This cross member I5a also supports a portion of a housing for the carrier 8 and grinding element 6, which will now be described.

The carrier 8 with the grinding element 6 thereon is housed throughout the entire extent thereof except for a restricted passageway thereabove, through which the matrices are passed successively for the grinding operation thereon, as will be later described, an opening being provided in the housing in communication with ducts which lead to a grit and dust collector also to be later more fully described.

In the particular structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the top closure for the housing of the carrier 8 and grinding element 6 comprises a portion of the head 3. The remainder of the housing, designated in general by the numeral 22, follows the general contour of the carrier 8, that is to say, it comprises a generally flat bottom portion underlying and closely adjacent the annular portion 9 of the carrier 8 which supports the grinding element 6 and a central depression which receives the correspondingly formed central portion I [l of the carrier 8 (see Figures 1 and 20). As shown, the depressed central portion of the housing body 22 is formed with an axial opening to receive the lower portion of the hub I I of the carrier 8, there being a downwardly extended annular flange 23 formed on the bottom of the housing 22 and in which the lower portion of the hub I I of the carrier 8 is tted rather snugly but free'to rotate therein. The annular flange or collar portion 23 of the housing 22 is received in a counterbored portion of the cross member I5a, just above the collar I5, by which provision the housing member 22 is held against lineal movement in the plane of its bottom portion and at the same time it is supported on top of the cross member I51.

At the marginal portions of the housing bottom 22 are upstanding flanges 24 constituting side walls for the housing, said flanges, as shown, having their upper edge portions received rather snugly in grooves provided therefor in the adjacent top portions of the head 3 (see Figure 15). By this provision the housing 22 may be placed relatively to the motor shaft I3 prior to the installation of the carrier 8 and grinding element 6 and afterward engaged with`the adjacent pord tions of the head 3 when the latter is placed on the body casing or shell 2.

The housing 22 is provided at one side with an outlet opening 25 which establishes communication between the housing and a duct 26 in the head 3, said duct 26, in turn, communicating with a duct 21 formed in the adjacent wall portion of the body casing 2. nates at its lower end with a flanged port 28 at its inner side, said flanged port 28 being in direct communication with the outer end of a duct 29 formed in a cross member 38 which is suitably supported at its opposite ends on the opposite side members 2a of the body casing 2.

The inner end of the duct 29 is connected by a short pipe section 3| to the removable head 32 of a cylindrical housing 33 constituting a collector chamber, said housing, as shown, being supported on a raised shelf portion 34 of the base I of the machine. This housing 33, as shown, is provided with an axial annularly flanged opening 35, the flange portion being eX- ternally screw-threaded and screwed into a cor-- respondingly threaded opening in the shelf portion 34 of the base I whereby the housing 33 is held in place and communication is established between the housing 33 and a blower chamber 36 formed in the base I just below said shelf 34. It is here noted that the head 32 of the housing 33 is annularly iianged and has a screw-threaded engagement with the housing 33 whereby the The duct 2l termiaeaazsoo 3 head 32 is readily applied and removed. The short pipe section or nipple 3| is flanged at its lower end to engage the adjacent inner face portion of the head 32, said pipe section 3l being extended upwardly through a central opening in the head 32 and having its upper end portion externally screw-threaded for reception in a co1'- respondingly threaded opening in the cross member for communication with the duct 29,said pipe section 3l being fastened in its adjusted position by a jam nut 31 which is tightened against the adjacent portion of the cross member 30.

Mounted in the blower chamber 36 is the rotor of a conventional blower 38, said blower, as shown, having curved blades 39, said blades being carried by the hub portion of the rotor and extending rearwardly from their ends which are attached to the hub, in relation to the direction of rotation of the element, so that air drawn axially into the chamber 33 through the opening 35 is discharged peripherally through an outlet opening 43 which is arranged substantially tangential to' the annular wall of the chamber 35.

The blower chamber 3B is provided with a removable bottom closure 4I having a depressed central portion with an axial opening therein affording a seat for an antifriction bearing 42, the inner member of the bearing supporting the hub portion vof the blower rotor 33. of the rotor 33, designated generally by the nu meral 43, has a reduced upper end portion which is screwthreaded to receive a nut 44 by which the rotor lis fastened to the shaft 43, said shaft 43 being mounted at its lower end in the inner member of .an antifriction bearing 45 which is iitted in the central seat portion of an auxiliary bottom member 43, which latter is detachably secured at its marginal portion to the marginal portion of the bottom closure 4l, preferably by the same screw elements 41 which detachably secure said bottom member 4l in place. The auxiliary bottom member 43, as shown, is dished so Vthat ample space is provided between the two bearings lli! and 45 for the accommodation of a 1 pulley 43 which is fastened on the shaft 43 of the rotor 38, said pulley 48 being circumferentially grooved for the reception of a belt 49' which connects said pulley 48 to a driving pulley 5D provided on the lower end of the armature shaft ofthe motor 5.

For separating the particles of dust and grit from the lair stream as it passes through the collector housing 33, a suitable bag 52 of finely woven or porous flexible material permitting the lpassage of air therethrough but retaining the heavier particles is provided. As shown, this bag 52 is formed to assume a substantially cylindrical shape, that is to say, it has a circular bottom 52a which is attached marginally to the lower edge portion of a band 52h, the upper edge portion of the band 52b being secured to a ring 53 which is formed with an outturned annular flange 54 which may rest either directly upon the upper edge of the housing 33 or, preierablyy as shown, upon a correspondingly flanged ring 55 which is interposed between the flange 54 of said ring 53 and the end of the housing 33, said ring '55 carrying a foraminous basket 56 which may obviously be made of open mesh wire fabric r or perforated sheet metal, as preferred. As shown, the upper marginal portion of the basket 53 is clamped between the inner ilange of the ring 55 and a surrounding band 51, and the lower marginal portion of the cylindrical side wall of -v The shaf t the basket 56 and peripl'ieral portion of the bottom 5B of the basket 56 are joined by an internal ring 58, of angular section, the parts being obviously fastened by .a welding process or any other suitable means of fastening such as riveting or the like. In addition to the upper marginal support for the basket, as afforded by the ring 55, an annular supporting ring 59 is mounted .in the lower portion of the housing 33 to receive the lower corner portion `of the basket 56.

In the normal operation of the machine, as will be later more fully described, the blower sets up a suction in the collector housing 33 and the several ducts which communicably connect the housing 33 with the housing 22 in which the grinding element 6 is located, thereby keeping the housing 22 free of dust and the grit resulting from the grinding operation, thereby preventing loading of the housing 22, and including the central depression in the bottom of the housing 22, as well as preventing the particles of dust and grit `from coming in contact with the several working `parts of the machine, and nthereby minimizing undue wear and injury to said working parts. In this connection, it is pointed out that an internally screw-threaded opening En is provided in the outer wall of the `duct 21 in the region'of its lower end portion where the port 28 thereof communicates with the duct 29, said opening E0 being normally closed by a screwplug El whereby the continuity of the several connecting ducts between the collector housing 33 and the 'housing 22 of the grinding element is normally maintained. However, provision is made for the exchange of the plug 6l and a nipple 52, which latter may be inserted in the opening 63, as shown more clearly in 1a of the drawings, said nipple being extended into the lower portion of the duct 21 with the inner end of the nipple in close engagement with the inner wall of the duct so as to effectively close communication between the collector housing 33 .and the housing 22 of the grinding element. The nipple 62 is provided at its projecting outer end portion with means for attachment of a conventional coupling 63 of an ordinary hose pipe (not shown) .for the application of various vacuum utility appliances when it is desired to use the blower for general cleaning and uses apart from the recon ditioning operations on the matrices.

The machine is provided with a matrix feeding magazine or hopper 64 which is in the general form of a channeled vertical column, the longitudinal vertical opening of which is at the rear of the column. The several matrices to be reconditioned are piled flatwise in the magazine or hopper, face to be conditioned downward, with recessed end forward and opposite marginal lugs engaged in the vertical side channels of the magazine or hopper 54 and, with the remainder of the matrix bodies projected rearwardly through the vertical opening of the magazine or hopper. The forward ends of the matrices abut a vertically adjustable gate member comprising an elongated rectangular plate which is fitted rather tightly but slidably in vertical grooves provided therefor in l*the opposite side walls `of the maga-- zine vor hopper l(ill, said gate being frictionally held in vertically adjusted position by a leaf spring Bil interposed between it vand the front wall 31 of the magazine or hopper. As shown more clearly in Figure l, the spring 33 is supported at its middle portion on the wall 51 its opposite end portions compoundedly curved, at 68, and pressing continually against the forward face of the gate 65, said spring being fastened to the wall 6l by the same securing screws 69 which secure a spring latch member 'lll to the forward face of the wall for a purpose to be presently more fully described.

The bottom matrix in the magazine or hopper 64 is received on a stationary longitudinally elongated plate 1| which extends some distance rearwardly from the magazine or hopper 64 and and also forwardly where it terminates near the center of the opening 1 of the grinding element 6, which opening, of course, the forward end portion of said plate 1| overhangs. 'I'he gap between the forward end of the matrix receiving plate 1I and the opposite side of the opening l in the grinding element 6 is bridged by an auxiliary plate 'l2 which is placed with its rear end portion in abutting relation to and flush with the adjacent forward end portion of the plate 'll so that the matrices slide without interference from the platefll onto 'the plate 12. Said plate I2 terminates with its forward end portion in close proximity to the adjacent wall portion of the opening 'I in the grinding element 6 and in a plane at least flush with but prefer- -f ably slightly above the top face of the grinding element 6 so that the matrix traveling on lsaid plate 'I2 slides freely onto the grinding element 5. As shown in Figure 3, wherein the head 3 is illustrated in inverted plan, the plate 'Il is secured at its opposite longitudinalv marginal portions to the under side of the top plate of the head 3 by screws 13, the plate 'l'l covering` a slot formed'in the top plate of the head 3 and constituting the botto-m of a longitudinal slideway the side walls of which guide the matrices as they are moved endwise on Said plate 'H to said bridge plate 12. The bridge plate 'l2 proper, as "shown,v comprises a rectangular tongue which is formed by slitting the original body blank of the plate rearwardly from its forward end, and on opposite sides of its longitudinal axis, to a transverse line near its rear end and bending the tongue portion so formed downwardly to bring its free forward end into a position relative to the top face of the grinding element 6 as just above described, the rear end portion of the plate 'l2 being rabbeted to receive the adjacent forward end portion of the plate 1I in the flush relation hereinabove described, and the longitudinal marginal portions of said plate 'l2 being attached to the head 3 by screws 14 on opposite sides of the slot in the head substantially in the same manner that the plate 'H is attached to the head 3.

The vertically adjustable gate 65 of the magazine or hopper 64 is provided at its lower end with a forwardly extended rightangular foot which is longitudinally Slotted on its under side for the accommodation of a forwardly projected normally downwardly set spring tongue 16 which is secured at its inner end to the bottom of the grooved portion of the foot with the head of the screw at least flush with but preferably in clear relief within the groove so as not to interfere with the passage of the respective matrices under the foot 15. The function of the spring tongue 16 is to press the matrix on the plate 'H when the matrix is moved forwardly from the bottom of the pile of matrices in the magazine or hopper 64 and until the matrix so moved is pushed forwardly onto the bridge plate 12 by the next following matrix discharged from the magazine or hopper 64. It is here noted that the gate 65 is of a predetermined length so that when its lower end portion is positioned in spaced working relation to the matrix receiving plate 1| its upper end portion extends a considerable distance above the magazine or hopper 64 and is formed with a handle portion 'I1 offset from one longitudinal margin thereof, by which the gate is conveniently manipulated in its vertical adjustment, said gate being also offset from its opposite margin to provide a shoulder 78 which overhangs a shoulder 'I9 provided on the adja.. cent end portion of the magazine or hopper 64 to function as a gauge by which the space between the lower end of the gate and the plate 1I is determined. In other words, one of the matrices of a plurality thereof, each of substantially the same thickness, is placed between the shoulders 'I8 and 19 and the gate 65 is lowered until the shoulder 18 thereof comes in contact with the matrix which is resting on the shoulder 19. With the gate thus positioned and held by the spring element 66, the space between the lower end of the gate 65 and the matrix receiving plate 1l is just sufficient to permit the lowermost matrix of the pile in the magazine 64 to pass freely under the foot portion 15 of the gate 65, yet the matrix next above the bottom matrix is held against movement out of the magazine 64 until the bottom matrix has moved to a position where its rear end is flush with the plane of the inner face of the gate 65.

As the matrices', which are individually designated in the drawings by the numeral 88, travel from the magazine or hopper 64, they pass sequentially beneath the articulated presser elements 8| and 82, said elements 8l and 82 being backed by an elongated generally rectangular retaining plate 83, between which latter and the respective presser elements 8| and 82 are interposed lSpring elements 84 and 85, said retaining plate 83 being, in effect, also a cover for the slotted portion of the head 3 in which the presser elements 8| and 82 and spring elements 84 and 85 are located, for which purpose the plate 83 is made removable, the outer end portion of the plate 83 being recessed at the opposite corners of its outer end portion, the lug 86 thus formed between said recessed portions being of a width so that it will enter the slot in the head 3 when the inner end portion of the plate is lifted and.

the outer end portion fulcrurns on the beveled undercut shoulders 8'! which are formed at the bases of the corner recesses, said plate 83 being heldagai'nst outward longitudinal movement by a pair of `screws 88 which are inserted in the head 3 through the recessed corner portions of the plate 83. Inward longitudinal movement of the plate 83 is prevented by the provision of a pair of lugs 89 at the inner end of the plate 83 which enter an opening in the lower front portion of the magazine or hopper 64 below the lower end of the front wall 61 of the magazine or hopper 64, the corner portions 9D of the plate abutting the adjacent, side wall portions of the magazine or hopper 64, by which provision lateral movement of the inner end portion of the plate'83 is also normally prevented. For some distance above the inner end of the plate 83, the lower end portion of the front wall 6l of the magazine or hopper is cut away, as at 9|, substantially on a radius from the undercut shouldered outer end portions 81 of the plate 83 so that the inner end portion of the plate 83 may be lifted from its normal closed position by pressing the spring element 10 into the recess provided by the cutaway portion 9| of the front wall 61 of the magazine or hopper, and for which purpose the plate 83 is notched, as at 92, between the Vlugs 09 to a depth somewhat greater than that of the corner recesses 90 so as to afford ample clearance for the spring element 'l0 when the latter is pressed inwardly out of engagement with the adjacent end portion of the plate 03. It is thus obvious that the plate 03 is readily placed in working position and removed, at will. `As shown, the presser element tl is formed with a major shoe portion 90 beneath which the matrices ride as` they move along the plates 1| and 'l2 and an upwardly offset portion 04 which rests on the foot portion lli of the gate 05, said upwardly oiset portion gli having a pair of apertures which are loosely iitted to a companion pair of studs 05 projecting upwardly from the foot l5, said apertures being upwardly ilared so that the presser element 0| is freely swingable vertically from the foot l5, the spring element 04, however, normally urging the element 8| downwardly into engagement with the bridge plate l2 but being lifted from said plate 12 by the movement of the matrix 00 from the magazine or hopper 04 into engagement with cam faces formed on the under side of the element 8| between the shoe portion 93 and upwardly offset portion 013. The major body portion ofthe forward presser element 02 is in the general form of a shoe having an upwardly offset inner end portion 00 which is apertured in a manner similar to the oiifset portion 04 of the element 8| and correspondingly engaged with a pair of upstanding studs 0l provided therefor on the outer end portion of said element 0|,

on which the offset portion 00 of the element 3,2 is thus hingedly supported. At the outer end of the presser element 02 is a flange 08 which overhangs a bar 00 extending across the slotted portion of the head 3 in which the element S2 is located so as to limit the downward movement of the presser element S2 under the influence of the spring 85 and thereby prevent the shoe portion of the element 02 from coming in contact with the grinding element 6 when there is no matrix interposed therebetween. This is to prevent marring the under face of the shoe portion of the element 82.

After the grinding operation on the under side ofthe matrix 00 which is linterposed between the forward portion of the grinding element 0 and the presser element 02 thereabove, which operation, of course, occurs during the time the matrix is at rest in the intermittent travel of the line of matrices 80 fed from the magazine or hopper 04 by the intermittent reciprocation of a pusherelement to be later more fully described, the dressed matrix is moved from the grinding element by the ejection of the next succeeding lowermost matrix from the pile of matrices 00 in the maga- Zine or hopper 04, said dressed matrix 00 passing through an opening |00 in the forward vertical wallof the housing 22 of the grinding element onto an inclined plate |0| constituting the bottom of` a chute through which the matrix 00 is delivered to a drawer or longitudinally movable tray |02, said drawer or tray |02, in its normally retracted position, having its front end wall |03 spaced some distance ahead of a normally spring# retracted follower |04, into which space the dress-ed matrix 00 is dumped endwise onto the bottom of the drawer or tray |02.

At the forward end of the chute is a gate |05 which is hingedly mounted near its upper end, as at |00, and provided with a vspring |01 which yieldably holds the gate |05 in normal closed position with the lower end portion of the gate |05 l disposed vertically above the forward portion of the drawer or tray |02 so as to serve as an abutment for delecting the matrix 80 into the drawer or tray |02 as the matrix 80 slides down the inclined bottom |0| of the chute. Preferably, as shown, the gate |05 is provided with a notched opening |08 in its lower end portion for the ready reception of a pin-like implement for displacing a matrix 00 should it catch in the chute, and, obviously, the gate |05 may be swung on its pivot |00 to an opened position should it be necessary to thus gain access to the chute. The follower |04 is mounted on the outer end portion of a horizontal reciprocatory bar |09 which is tted in a guide opening provided in a depending lug portion ||0 on the under side of a supporting body portion of the head 3 on which the inclined bottom plate |0| of the discharge chute is mounted. At the inner end of th-e bar |09 is a head ||2, between which and the lug ||0 a spring ||3 is interposed, said spring normally urging the bar |09 inwardly into engagement with a screw stud ||4, which latter is fitted for endwise adjustment in a lug ||5 depending from the under side of a reciprocatory actuator H6, said actuator being yieldably held in a normally retracted position by a spring said spring being attached at one end to a stud depending from the under side of the actuator l0 and at its opposite end to an opposed stud depending from` the under side of the hereinbefore described cross member |5a which supports the housing 22 of the grinding element 6 and in which the driving shaft I3 for the grinding element carrier 8 has its bearing. The screw stud I4, as shown, has a tapered outer end portion which is received in a counterpart axial recess in the inner end of the head 2 of the reciprocatory bar |09 which carries the follower |04, by which provision the screw stud ||4 not only serves as an adjustable abutment for the bar |09 but the bar |09 may be lifted away from said screw stud ||4 intact with thehead 3 when the latter is removed from the intermediate body casing or shell 2 of the machine.

Means for intermittently driving the actuator ||0 will be later described after the means for ejecting the matrices from the magazine or hopper 04 is set forth. Suiiice it to say, at this point, the actuator |6 is operated intermittently and at a time subsequent to the ejection of the lowermost matrix 80 from the pile in the magazine or hopper 64 so as to move the follower |04 forwardly just after a dressed matrix 80 is deposited in the drawer or tray |02, the length of stroke of the bar |09 being such that the initial matrix 80 deposited in the drawer or tray is pressed against the front wall |03 and the drawer or tray |02 accordingly moved forwardly a distance equal to the thickness of the matrix 80, at which time the upper portion of the matrix 80 is moved between an opposed pair of spring tongues |||iA which are located on the outside of a pair of side plates ||9 (see Figure 2) which are located on opposite sides of the lug ||-0 in which the bar |09 is slidably mounted. The upper portion of the follower |04, which projects above the side walls of the drawer or tray |02, slides between said side plates ||9 and the dressed matrix obviously drops between these plates ||9 as it is delivered onto the bottom of the drawer or tray |02. In this connection, it is noted that the forward upper portions of the side plates ||0 are cut away or foreshortened to afford clearance for inwardly offset free end portions |20 of the spring tongues ||8, said offset portions |20, in the normally retracted position of the drawer or tray |02, being disposed in engagement with the opposite sides of the front wall |03 of the drawer or tray |02 whereby the tongues ||8 are sprung outwardly, but as soon as the wall |03 is moved forwardly with the dressed matrix 80 pressed thereagainst by the follower |04 said inwardly offset portions |20 of the tongues, by the reaction of the tongues, press against the upper marginal portions of the ma trix 80 and thereby hold the matrix 80 in its vertical relation to the wall |03, it being here noted that the bottom of the drawer or tray |02 is provided on opposite sides with longitudinal series of serrations or otherwise roughened to resist any tendency of the lower end of the matrix to move away from the wall |03. 1n this connection, it is pointed out that the forward portions of the plates |I9 serve as stops for limiting the inward movement of the spring tongues ||8 so that the inwardly offset portions |20 of the tongues function in their yieldable retentive capacity relative to the dressed matrix 80 deposited in the drawer or tray |02, yet do not interfere with the positioning of the matrix 80 against the end wall |03 of the drawer or tray under the pressure of the follower |04.

In the continued operation of the machine the respective matrices after they are successively dressed are deposited sequentially behind the line of preceding matrices 80 in the drawer or tray |02, the rearmost matrix 80 in the line being obviously engaged by the inwardly offset portions |20 of the spring tongues I8 due to the intermittent actuation of the follower |04, the length of stroke of which latter may be constant, but the relative retracted position of the follower |04 may be varied with respect to the innerr face of the wall |03 of the drawer or tray l|02 by adjusting the screw stud ||4 longitudinally in its supporting lug ||5. As shown, the drawer or tray |02 is frictionally held in its various longitudinal positions by a spring element |2| mounted in the forward portion of the slideway in which the drawer or tray works, said spring |2| pressing against the bottom of the drawer or` tray |02.

The means for ejecting the matrices 80 from the magazine or hopper 64 will now be described. As shown, this particular mechanism comprises an elongated rectangular pusher plate |22 which is mounted with its forward end portion slidably overlapping the r-ear end portion of the plate 1| which receives the lowermost matrix 80 of the pile in the magazine or hopper 64, the forward end of the pusher plate |22, in the normal retracted position of said plate |22, terminating just short of the end portion of the matrix 80 which it abuts. Above the pusher plate |22 is a. cap plate |23, the rear end portion of which overlaps the adjacent top face of the head 3, where it is secured to the head 3 by screws or other suitable fasteners |24, the forward end portion of said cap plate |23 being similarly fastened to the head 3, as at |25, whereby said plate |23 is readily removed and replaced, at will. Said plate |23 is formed with a downwardly offset shoe |26 which is fitted in the slideway of the pusher plate |22 and is disposed retentively above the forward portion of said plate |22 which slides between the shoe |26 and the adjacent underlying end portion of the matrix receiving plate As shown, the upper portion of the shoe |26 is formed with an open-ended recess |21 whereby access to the matrices 80 at the bottom of the pile in the magazine or hopper 64 is conveniently had should occasion require. The rear end portion of the pusher plate |22 is supported on and attached to the forward end portion of a reciprocatory carriage |28 which slides in oppositely disposed guideways |29 provided therefor on the under side of the top body plate of the head 3, said guideways |29 being attached to the head 3 by a plurality of screws or other suitable fasteners |30. The carriage |28 is provided with a depending post |3| of substantial body and rigidity, at the lower end of which is a roller |3| engaging the periphery of a cam plate |32 when the carriage |28 is moved forwardly under the influence of a spring |33 during the rotation of the cam plate |32, said spring |33 being secured at one end to the under side of said body plate of the head 3, as at |34, the opposite end of the spring |33 being attached to one end of a rocking lever |35 which is pivotally attached to the head 3, as at |33. The opposite end of the lever |35 is hingedly connected to the forward portion of the carriage |28 by a link |31 whereby reciprocatory movement is imparted to the carriage by the oscillation of said lever |35. The carriage |28 is provided with an opening |38 in its rear portion which is' engaged by a spring latch element |39 for rel-easably holding it in a retracted position, said spring latch |39 being attached to the head 3, as at |40, and with a normal set whereby its hooked free end portion |39' is directed toward the body plate of the head 3 with the distance therebetween regulated by an adjusting screw |4| which normally impinges the bracket by which the latch element is attached to the head 3 or any other obvious abutment provided for the purpose. By this form and arrangement of the spring latch |39, said latch automatically engages in the opening |38 of the carriage |28 when the latter is manually retracted, for which purpose the depending post |3| is provided with a screw-threaded axial stud extension |43 at its upper end, said stud portion |43 being tted in a screw-threaded opening provided therefor in the carriage plate |28 and a locking nut |44 being applied on the stud portion 43 to impinge the top face of said carriage plate |28 whereby the post |3| is securely held in place, the stud portion |43 further extending upwardly through a longitudinal slot |45 in the cap plate |23 and provided with a knob |46 which is screwed onto its extreme outer end portion, said knob |46 being provided for the convenient manual manipulation of the carriage |28. For depressing the spring latch |39 to disengage its hooked end portion |39 from the retracted carriage |28, a trigger in the form of a plunger stud |42 is slideably fitted in an opening in the top plate of the head 3 of the body housing of the machine, said stud being formed with a head |42' at its inner end, said head |42 being rounded at its outer end for freely slidable engagement with the spring latch |39 and providing an annular shoulder at its base for limiting outward longitudinal movement of the stud |42.

As above described, the spring element |33, through its lever and link connection with the carriage 28, acts to drive the matrix ejector |22 forwardly when permitted by the cam |32 against the periphery of which the roller |3| on the post |3| of the carriage |28 is at all times in contact except when the carriage |28 is manually retracted and held by the spring latch |30. The body plate of the cam 32 is provided with an assignee 7 opening which is fitted rotatably on an enlarged upper portion of a spindle sleeve |41, said spindle sleeve |41 being tted rotatably` on an upstanding supporting post |48. Asy shown, the supporting post |48 is provided at its upper end with a head for retaining the spindle sleeve |41 on the post, and the post having a reduced lower end portion fitted in an opening provided therefor in the transverse body portion 30 of the housing of the machine (see Figure 1), the distance between the retaining head at the upper end of the post |48 and the annular shoulder at the base of its reduced lower end portion being such that the spindle sleeve |41 is free to rotate on the post |46 without any binding effect or undue resistance at the ends of the sleeve, while the extreme lower end portion of the reduced extension of the post |48 is screw-threaded for the reception of a locking nut |49, which latter is tightened against the under side of the transverse body portion 30.

While the cam plate |32 is fitted to the spindle sleeve |41 so that the one element may rotate independently of the other element, should occasion require as will hereinafter more fully appear, provision is made for normally rotating the cam plate |32 with the spindle sleeve |41 by forming a ratchet head |50 on the upper end of the spindle sleeve |41 and providing the cam plate |32 with a pivotally mounted dog |5I on its topface, said dog I| having a lug |52 which is engaged by one of the ratchet teeth on the head |50 in the normal position in which the dog I5| is yieldably held by a spring element |53. That is to say, the cam plate |32 rotates with and by the spindle sleeve |41 in one direction with a positive drive during the normal operation of the machine.

The spindle sleeve |41 is provided with a driving gear |54 having counterpart teeth on its periphery which intermesh with a worm screw |55 on a driving shaft |56 which is conventionally mounted in bearings |51 in working relation to the gear |54, said driving shaft |56 being provided at one end with a miter gear |58 which is in `engagement with a correspondingly beveled geen |59 which is adjustably mounted on the motor shaft I3 and secured in its adjusted position by a set screw |60 (see Figure 20). The driving gear |54 is mountedon the spindle sleeve |41 with frictional engagement therebetween so that, normally, the gear |54 and sleeve |41 are rotatable by and with each other, but with safety slippage should undue resistance be brought to bear upon either the gear |54 or sleeve |41 and thereby prevent damaging said elements or any of the associated elements in the operating mechanism of the machine.

A companion spur gear `|6I is mounted with the gear |54 on the spindle sleeve |41, said gear I 6I being provided primarily for driving a matrix marking element to be later more fully described. As shown, the two gears |54 and IGI are fastened together so as to rotate as one, the fastening being by any suitable means but preferably by a screw |62 or a plurality thereof located at inter vals throughout the extent of the gears (see Figure 1). The frictional engagement between said gears |54 and |6| and the spindle sleeve |41 may be effected in any conventional manner, such for example, by interposing friction rings |63 between the hub portions of the gears |54 and |6| and the annular shoulder provided at the base of the enlargement of the spindle sleeve |41 on which the cam plate |32 is mounted, the clamping of the friction rings |63 being effected by adjusting a collar |64 on the screw-threaded lower end portion of the spindle sleeve |41 in abutting relation to the under side of the gear |54 and locking said collar |64 in adjusted position by a set screw |65. It will thus be seen that the interfastened gears |54 and |6I are driven positively by the worm |55 with which the gear |54 is in mesh, the shaft of said worm |55 being driven directly from the motor shaft I3, while, as hereinbefore described, the cam |32 is rotated normally by the engagement of its dog I5I with the ratchet head |50 of the spindle sleeve |41, which latter is in turn driven by the frictional engagement between it and the interfastened companion gears |54 and I6I. In this connection, it is here noted that inasmuch as the cam |32 also actuates the reciprocatory actuator II6 which is operated intermittently to reciprocate the follower |04 so as to effect a step-by-step forward movement of the drawer or tray |02 as the dressed matrices 00 are deposited therein, the peripheral contour of the cam plate |32 is necessarily `such that the ejector plate |22 may overtravel on its matrix ejecting stroke, and in order to prevent this happening a special stop |66 is provided to arrest the movement of the rocking lever under the influence of the spring element |33 (see Figure 3), said stop |66, for the purpose of adjustment, being in the form of a headed screw which is threaded into a supporting lug |61 provided therefor on the adjacent under portion of the head 3 of the housing body of the machine.

As shown, the reciprocatory actuator II6 is carried by a rod |68 which is mounted to slide longitudinally in a portion of the transverse body member I5a which supports the housing 22 and carrier 8 of the grinding element 6. The end of the rod |68 opposite to that on which the actuator I I6 is carried is bifurcated, as at |60, and has a roller |10 journaled therein.

In the normally retracted position of the actuator I6, to which position said actuator I I6 is moved and yieldably held under the influence of the spring I I1, the roller |10 is located in the path of the high side of the cam |32 and at a relative distance from the axis of the spindle sleeve |41 so that, when said roller |10 is engaged by the rotating cam |32, at a time subsequent to the matrix ejecting stroke of the ejector plate |22, the actuator II6 is moved forwardly a predetermined distance to effect a corresponding movement of the follower |04 to press the last de'- posited dressed matrix 60 to an Lip-ended vertical position and thereby move the drawer or tray |02 one step forward to make room for the next following dressed matrix 80. In this connection it is noted that, in order to afford ample clearance for the aforesaid actuation of the actuator I|6, the adjacent portion of the body I5a is recessed, as at |1I, to receive the bifurcated end portion |69 of the rod |68.

Inasmuch as it may be necessary, from time to time, to stop the operation of the cam plate |32, provision is made for effecting the disengagement of the dog I5I on the cam plate |32 from the driving ratchet head of the spindle sleeve |41. For the accomplishment of this the dog I5| is provided with a lateral extension |12 which is recessed, as at |13, on its leading side in the direction of normal rotation of the cam plate, said recessed portion |13 being engageable with a dog |14 which is normally out of the orbit of said recessedportion but is movable into the path thereof to arrest the movement of the cam plate |32.,

at will. As shown, the dog |14 comprises an arm of a bellcrank which is pivotally mounted, as at |15, on a stationary support |16 which constitutes part of a detachable unit which is mounted on the cross body member 30 of the 4machine housing, said body portion 38 being provided with an open-ended slot |11 for the reception of a securing stud |18 on the lower end of the support |16, said stud |18 being screw-threaded to receive a clamping nut |19 which is tightened against the under side of the adjacent portion of the body member 30, it being here noted that the detachable unit of which the support |19 is a part includes principally the matrix marking means to be presently described. The opposite arm |80 of the aforesaid bellcran'k constitutes a handle. for the manual manipulation of the dog |14 in swinging the latter into and out of its normal disengaging relation to the arm 12 of the dog |5|, the bellcrank being frictionally held in its normal and operated positions by a spring |8| which is coiled about the pivot stud |15 on which the bellcrank is mounted, said spring |8| being interposed under compression between the under side of the bellcrank and a head formed at the end of the stud |15.

Obviously, in the normal position of the dog |14, out of the path of the notched end portion of the arm |12 of the dog |5| on the cam plate |32, said cam plate is free to rotate with the spindle sleeve |91 as hereinbefore described, but when the dog |14 is swung into the path of the notched end portion of the arm |12 of said dog the engagement of the arm |12 with the dog |14 causes the dog |5| on the cam plate |32 to swing out of engagement with the ratchet head |50 of the spindle sleeve |41 against the retractive action of the spring element |53, the movement of the dog |5| out of engagement with said ratchet head 50 being arrested by a stud V|82 projecting upwardly from 4the top face of the cam plate |32 in the path of a notch |83 formed in the marginal portion of the arm |12 of the dog |5|. With the dog |5| thus disengaged from the ratchet head |50 and its arm |12 engaged with the dog |14 and locked against the stud |82, the cam disk |32 is, of course, held against movement in the direction in which it was rotating with the spindle sleeve |41, and the spindle sleeve |41 continues its rotation due to its frictional engagement with the driving gear |54.

In order to establish a frictional engagement between the cam plate |32 and the interfastened driving gears |54 and |6|, so as to prevent a reverse rotation of the cam plate |32 after the disengagement of the dog |5| from the ratchet head |50 is effected as just above described, the cam plate |32 is provided on its under side with a circular disk |84 which is dished so as to provide an annular trackway |85 at its periphery, against which the head of a spring-pressed plunger |86 (or a plurality thereof) carried by the interfastened gears |54 and |6| bears (see Figure l), it being understood that the spring element constantly urges the plunger |86 upwardly into contact with thetrackway |85 and that the strength of the spring is sufficient to create ample frictional resistance between vthe head of the plunger and the trackway to overcome the reactive eifect of the spring element |53 which, through the leverage of the dog |5| with its notched end portion |13 as the fulcrurn when engaged with the dog |14, would cause the cam plate |32 to rotate in the direction opposite to that of its normal operative rotation and thereby effect a re-engagement of the dog |5| with the ratchet head |50 intermittently and at least causing annoyance if not injury to certain working parts if such provision for the aforesaid frictional engagement between the cam plate |32 and the driving gears |54 and |6| is not made.

An essential feature of the present invention is the provision of means for marking the matrices 80, which marking is preferably accomplished successively on the respective matrices at a time after they have been ejected from the magazine or hopper 64 and prior to the dressing of the matrices on the grinding element 6. This means will now be described. As shown, the marking element comprises a circular saw blade |81 which is carried on the end of a spindle |88, said spindle |88 being rotatably mounted on a supplemental support, designated generally by the numeral |89, which is swiveled on the hereinbefore described unitary support |16 which also carries the hereinbefore described dog |14 which is correlated to the releasable driving elements of the cam plate |32. As shown, the support |89 is provided with a bearing |90 (see Figure 11) in which the main body portion of the spindle |88 is directly journaled, the spindle |88 having a reduced axial extension |9| the outer end portion of which is screw-threaded to receive a combined adjusting and bearing element |92, said element |92 being of general cylindrical form with a screw-threaded axial bore to fit the threaded portion of the extension |9| of the spindle |88, the inner portion of said element |92 being journaled in a bearing portion |93 of the supplemental support |89 in opposed relation to the aforesaid bearing of said support |89, the outer portion of said element |92 being enlarged and preferably knurled on its periphery to constitute a knob |94 for conveniently manipulating said element |92 in effecting an endwise adjustment of the spindle |88 as will presently more fully appear. Sleeved on the spindle |88 and interposed between the journal portions |90 and |93 of the support |89 is the axially bored body portion |95 of a spiral gear |96, the bore of the body portion |95 being of a general diameter throughout approximately the entire length thereof to receive the main body portion of the spindle |88 with a sliding t, said spindle portion, adjacent its reduced extension |9|, being provided with a longitudinal groove |91 to receive a spline |98 on the body portion |95 of the spiral gear |96, said spline |98, as shown, being in the form of a screw the inner end of which is projected into said groove |91 of the spindle whereby the spindle is movable longitudinally in the body portion |95 of the gear |96 but is keyed to rotate with the latter. A spring element |99 is coiled about the reduced extension of the spindle 88 within the bore of the body |95 of the gear |90, said spring abutting at one end against the annular shoulder at the base of the reduced portion |9| of the spindle and at its opposite end against a shoulder provided at the adjacent end of the body |95 by a reduction in the bore of the body |95 to a diameter just slightly larger than that of the reduced portion |9| of the spindle so that the latter may slide freely endwise therethrough, the spring element |99 being constantly under compression and reacting to urge the spindle |88 forwardly to position the saw |81 and to hold the combined adjusting and bearing element |92 1n engagement with the adjacent end of the cylindrical body |95 of the spiral gear |96. The

engagement between the body portion |95 and the element |92 is interlocked so that the one part rotates by and with the other but at the same time it is releasable to effect adjustment of the spindle, for which purpose the adjacent end portion of the body |95 is enlarged to provide an annular collar 299 which abuts the inner side of the journal portion |93 of the support |29 and the end face of the body |95 is provided with a radial recess of generally rectangular1 form to receive a correspondingly shaped lug 292 provided on the inner end of the adjusting and bearing element |92. By this provision it is obvious that the element |92 rotates normally with the spiral gear |96 but is retractable so that its lug 202 is disengaged from the recess 20| in the body |95 of the gear and that by manually rotating the element |92 so disengaged the spindle E29 is accordingly moved endwise by reason of its splined relation to the gear |96, which latter may be held against rotation either by manually holding it against such movement or due to its engagement with the peripherally toothed driving gear 203 to be now described in connection with the operating and controlling mechanism for the saw spindle |88.

The driving gear 203 is pinned or otherwise secured on a vertical shaft 204 which is suitably journaled at its opposite ends in the stationary main support |16 of the unit, said shaft having a pinion 225 pinned or otherwise secured on the lower portion thereof in mesh with the driving gear |6| which, as hereinbefore described, is companion to the gear |54 and to which it is interfastened so as to rotate therewith when the spindle sleeve |41 to which said gears |54 and |$5| are frictionally engaged `is rotated. Thus the ysaw spindle |88 is constantly rotated during the normal operation of the machine. However, the spindle |88 is intermittently oscillated in a horizontal plane to bring the saw |81 into and out of cutting position for marking the respective matrices 30 in timed relation to the intermittent feeding movement of the matrices uit to the grinding element 6. For this purpose, the supplemental support |29 is supported to swing about the axis of the shaft 224 on a shelflike portion 296 of .the stationary main support Il'ii, an adjustable stop, comprising a screw 291 mounted on the support |16, limiting the swinging movement of the spindle |88 away from the trackway along which the matrices are moved to the grinding element 6, and a fixed shoulder 222 being provided on said support |16 for limiting the maximum movement of the spindle |29 towards said trackway.

The saw spindle |28 is normally urged toward the matrix trackway by a spring 299 which is attached at one end to a stud 2|i| which is projected. from the side of the stationary main support llt and at its opposite end to the supplemental support |89, as at 2li, the spring 229 being thus oiiset from the shaft 224 whereby ample leverage is afforded to swing the support |99 about the axis of said shaft 224. As just above described, the maximum movement or the saw spindle |82 toward the matrix trackway is limited by the rlxed shoulder 229 which is engaged by an opposed edge portion 298 of the support |89, but in the normal operation of the machine this particular movement of the spinolle is limited by a circular disk 2|2 which is carried by the cam plate |92 with the axes of the disk 2|2 and the spindle sleeve |41 coinciding, the larger portion of the periphery of the disk being concentric with the axis thereof and the remainder of the periphery being recessed arcuately, as at 2|2. This disk 2|2, although it rotates with the `cam plate |32, is spaced above the ratchet head |52 of the spindle sleeve |41, it being fastened to a plate-like bracket 2|4 which is offset upwardly from a marginal supporting ilange 2|5 which is detachably secured to the top face of the cam plate |32 by screws 2|2. For adjusting the disk 2|2 to set its recessed portion 2|3 in correlated timed working relation to the feeding operations of the matrices 22 as eiected by the cam 22, the disk 2|2 is secured to the bracket plate 2|4 by a screw 2|'l which is inserted from below through an aperture in the bracket plate 2 i4 and into a threaded axial aperture-in the disk 2|2, the aperture in the bracket plate 2M being preferably flared so `that the tapered head of the screw 2|`| is countersunk therein, thus leaving the under sdeof the bracket plate 244 without any protuberance with might interfere with the normal operation of the spindle sleeve |411 and said cam plate |32. rThe swiveled supplemental support |89 is provided with an end extension 2|2 which is downwardly offset and provided with a horizontal opening in which a screwthreaded shank 2|9 is received so as to be adjusted longitudinally therein, said shank 2|9 being locked in its adjusted position by jam nuts 229 which are tightcned against the opposite sides of the extension 2i8. Said shank 2li) is bifurcated at one end, as at 22| and has a roller 222 journaled therein, said roller 222 being held in contact with the periphery of the disk 2 l2 under the influence of the spring 299, the concentric peripheral portion of the disk 2|2 holding the spindle |88 with the saw is? normally away from the adjacent longitudinal portion of a matrix Sii on the trackway and the recessed portion 2i3 rounded arcuately, as it is, permitting the saw |87 to be eased gradually into cutting relation to the positioned matrix 99 and likewise moved therefrom when the roller 222 rides into and out of therecess 2|9 during the rotation of the disk 2|2 which, normally, is simultaneous with the rotation of the cam plate |32 but in timed relation to the movement of the matrices 2U from the magazine or hopper 64 as just above described,

While the above described oscillation of the supplemental support |89 continues intermittently during the normal operation of the machine, provision is made for placing the saw la? in an inoperative position, at will, and releasably holding it in such position. The means for accomplishing this comprises a puller bar 229 which eis pivotally attached, as at 224, to the under side of the end extension 2| 8 of the swiveled supplemental support |89 (see Figure 9), said puller bar 223 being projected through an opening 225 provided therefor in the side wall 2a of the body housing and having a hooked end portion 226 by which the bar 223 may be conveniently grasped for manual manipulation. Normally, this bar 223 reciprocates longitudinelly when the saw spindle |89 is oscillated during the operation of the machine, the outermost position of the bar 223 being controlled by the position :in which the saw spindle |38 is placed by the engagement of the roller 222 with the concentric major portion of the disk 2| 2. However, by pulling the bar 223 outwardly the swiveled support |29 is swung correspondingly about the axis of the shaft 294 and against the tension of the spring element 239, the bar 223 becoming automatically locked against return movement by the notched arm 221 of a bellcrank latch element engaging with its shoulder portion 228 against the adjacent outer face portion of the wall 2a, into which engaging relation the latch element is moved by a spring 229 connecting its opposite arm 230 with a stud 23| provided on the end extension 2|8 of said swiveled support |89. Normally, the arm 221 of the bellcrank latch element reciprocates with the bar 223 in the opening 225 in the side wall 2a, the length of stroke being obviously such that the shoulder 228 of the arm 221 remains within the opening 225 during this normal reciprocation of the parts. To limit the outward movement of the saw spindle |88 by the manual operation of the puller bar 223, the hereinbefore described adjustable stop 201 is provided on the stationary main support |16, said stop 20-1 being engaged by a shoulder 201 formed on the opposed end portion of the swiveled supplemental support |89 (see Figure 10), this provision being primarily for the prevention of damaging the saw |81 or marring the adjacent body portion or working part of the machine in the region where the saw |81 operates.

In summarizing, in the general operation of the machine the matrices 80 to be conditioned are piled in the magazine or hopper 64, side to be dressed downward, the gate 65 having been adjusted with the space between its lower end and the matrix receiving plate 1| in accordance with the thickness of an individual matrix of a particular font or set thereof. With the various adjustments of the several working parts eiected as hereinbefore described, and the motor 5 in operation, the ejector |22 reciprocates to eject the matrices 80 one at a time from the bottom Lof the pile in the magazine or hopper 64 and intermittently moves a line of the ejected matrices 80 along the trackway from the magazine or hopper 64 to the grinding element 6, the matrices 8|) traveling under the articulated springpressed shoes 8| and 82, and the travel of the matrices 80 from the magazine or hopper 64 being intermittent or in a step-by-step process, the marking saw |31 is moved through an opening |81 in the side of the trackwayinto cutting engagement with the respective matrices 80 during a period of rest thereof at a place between the magazine or hopper 64 and the operating portion of the grinding element 6, whereby the marginal portions of the matrices 80 are nicked for the purpose of indicating that they have been reconditioned. The dressed matrices 8|] are delivered from the grinding element 6 into the drawer or tray |02 as hereinbefore described, whence they are removed in a nished set from the drawer or tray and a new font may be then passed through the machine. In this connection, itis here noted that, in the usual operation of the machine, duds or dummy matrices in sufficient number` are passed through the machine behind .the string of regular matrices to clear the machine of the entire font or set of the latter after the grinding operation is completed.

During the operation of the grinding element 6 the blower 38 is operating simultaneously therewith, thereby creating an effective suction in the collector shell 33 and the ducts which provide a closed passage between the shell 33 and the housing 22 of the grinding element 6 whereby thegritty detritus and free dust is drawn oi so as to prevent loading of the grinding element 6 and its housing 22 whereby the operation of the grinding element 6 continues eiiciently and at the same time the several Working parts of the machine are effectively guarded againstgdamage which would otherwise result from the gritty particles coming in contact therewith. Obviously the lter bag 52 effectively separates the heavier particles from the air stream, said bag being removed from time to time and cleaned. In this connection it is further pointed out that by applying the special nipple tube 62 in place of the removable plug 6| and coupling an obvious vacuum cleaner attachment thereto the blower 38 and collector 33 may be utilized for various extraneous cleaning purposes, at which time, of course, the ducts between the collector 33 and the housing 22 of the grinding element 6 are closed against communication between said housing 22 and the collector 33 and it being further understood that the machine is not at the time in operation for the reconditioning of the matrices.

From the foregoing it is apparent that a practical and highly efficient machine is produced primarily for the reconditioning of matrices, with the adjuncts above noted, and while the machine illustrated in the drawings embodies a practical adaptation of the invention it is obvious that considerable modification may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as deiined by the appended claims. The invention, therefore, is not limited to the speciiic construction and arrangement shown in the accompanying drawings.

What is claimed is:

l. In a machine for reconditioning matrices, a horizontally rotating, nat-surfaced annular grinding element, a correlated trackway above said grinding element over which the respective matrices to be reconditioned are passed successively onto the grinding element, a vertical openbottomed magazine for initially receiving the matrices in a pile therein, the bottom matrix of the pile resting on said trackway, motor-driven mechanism for rotating said grinding element, means including an intermittently operable reciprocatory ejector device operating with the rotating mechanism of said grinding element in timed relation thereto for successively moving the matrices along the trackway from the magazine 1 and onto the grinding element, means for individually marking the respective matrices when in a definite common position during a period of rest as they are passed along the trackway from the magazine, said marking means including a rotary saw mounted to move laterally towards and from the trackway to engage and disengage each successively positioned matrix marginally thereof, and actuating means for said saw operating with and in timed relation to the mechanism which rotates the grinding element and oscillates said ejector device.

2. In a machine for reconditioning matrices, a horizontally rotating, nat-surfaced annular grinding element, a correlated trackway above said grinding element over which the respective matrices to be reconditioned are passed successively onto the grinding element, a vertical openbottomed magazine for initially receiving the matrices in a pile therein, the bottom matrix of the pile resting on sai-d trackway, motor-driven mechanism for rotating said grinding element, means including an intermittently operable reciprocatory ejector device operating with the rotating mechanism of said grinding element in timed relation thereto for successively moving thematrices along the trackway from the magazine and onto'the grinding element, means for individually- `marking `the respective matrices when in a dei'inite common position during a period of rest as they are passed along the trackway from the magazine, said marking means including a rotary saw mounted to move laterally towards and from the trackway to engage and disengage each successively positioned matrix marginally thereof, actuating means for said saw operating with and in timed relation to the mechanism Which rotates the grinding element and oscillates said ejector device, and manually operable means for selectively rendering said ejector device and the marking saw individually inoperative, at will.

3. In a machine for reconditioning matrices, means including trackage for successively passing the matrices lineally to a grinding element with intermittent travel, means for individually marking the respective matrices during a period of rest in the travel thereof, said marking means comprising a rotary saw mounted on the free end of a spindle mounted for oscillation relative to the trackage for said intermittently traveling matrices, power means for rotating said spindle, means for moving and holding the spindle in its oscillation away from the line of matrices during `the travel of the latter, and means for moving the spindle toward the line of matrices and the saw into marginal engagement with a positioned matrix during theperiod of rest in the intermittent travel of the matrices.

4. In a machine for reconditioning matrices, means including trackage for successively passing the matrices lineally to a grinding element with intermittent travel, means for individually marking the respective matrices during a period of rest in the travel thereof, `said marking means comprising a rotary saw mounted on the free a end of a` spindle mounted for oscillation relative to the trackage for said intermittently traveling matrices, power means for rotating said spindle, means for moving and holding the spindle in its oscillation away from the line of matrices during the travel of the latter, means for moving the spindle toward the line of matrices and the saw into marginal engagement with a positioned matrix during the period of rest in the intermittent travel of the matrices, and manually operable means for retracting said spindle and releasably holding it in `an oscillated position away from the line of matrices with the saw clear of the matrix in the region thereof.

5. In a machine for reconditioning matrices,

including trackage on which the matrices are moved successively and intermittently in a line to a grinding element, means for individually marking the respective matrices during a period of rest in the travel thereof, said means comprising a rotary saw mounted on the free end of a spindle which is mounted to oscillate toward and from the trackage of said intermittently traveling matrices, said spindle having provision for longitudinal adjustment thereof in its mounting, means for constantly rotating said spindle, means for intermittently oscillating said spindle during its rotation and in timed relation to the intermittent travel of the matrices whereby to move and hold the spindle with the saw out of engaging position relative to a matrix traveling in the region thereof and to move the spindle reversely to engage the saw marginally with apositioned matrix during the period of rest in the travel thereof, and means for manually retracting said spindle and releasably holding it with the saw out of engagement with the matrix in the region thereof.

6, In a machine for reconditioning matrices, including a grinding element over which the matrices to be reconditioned are passed successively with intermittent travel in a line from trackage interposed between the grinding element and a receiving magazine, a reciprocatory ejector device for moving the matrices one at a time from the bottom of a pile thereof in the receiving magazine of the machine, means for releasably holding said ejector device in retracted position, spring-actuated impelling means for moving said ejector device in the direction to eject a matrix from the magazine, means for positively moving the ejector inits retractile direction, said last-named means including a rotating cam against the periphery of which an antifriction bearingelement of the ejector device is held under the influence of the spring-actuated impelling means of the ejector device, a spindle element on Which said cam is mounted to rotate freely thereon, said spindle element having a ratchet head, a bellcrank latch element hingedly mounted on said cam and having a lug for releasable engagement with the ratchet head of said spindle element, a spring for releasably holding said latch element in such engagement, frictionally engaged driving means for said spindle element, manually operable stop means for arresting the cam in itsrotation, said stop means comprising a lever element one end portion of which is swingable into and out of the path of the latch element on said cam, the opposite end portion of the lever constituting an operating handle therefor, means for marking the respective `matrices during a period of rest in the travel thereof from the receiving magazine to the grinding element, said marking means comprising a rotary saw mounted on a constantly driven spindle, said spindle being mounted on a carrier movable laterally whereby the saw is brought into and out of contact with a positioned matrix, spring-actuated means for moving the spindle toward the trackage for the matrices, a controlling Y cam rotatable With said spindle element and peripherally engaged by an antifriction bearing element mounted on the saw spindle carrier to move-laterally with the spindle, said controlling cam having a concentric high peripheral portion for holding the spindle with the saw away from the matrix trackage and a recessed portion permitting and limiting the movement of the spindle toward the matrix and the working engagement of the savr with a positioned matrix, and means for manually moving the saw spindle carrier away from the matrix trackage and releasably holding it in such position.

7. In a machine for reconditioning matrices, means including trackage and correlated feeding means for successively passing the matrices lineally with intermittent travel to a grinding element, means for individually marking the respective matrices during a period of rest in the travel thereof, said marking means comprising a rotary saw on a spindle mounted in a unitary assembly including a stationary supporting bracket, a carrier for the spindle hingedly mounted on said supporting bracket whereby the spindle is movable laterally toward and from the matrix trackage, said spindle having driving means constantly effective at any of thepositions to which it is swung, a rotating cani controlling the position of said spindle relative to the matrix trackage, said cam being peripherally engaged by an antifriction element on the spindle carrier, the cam having a concentric high portion holding thc spindle away from the matrix trackage and a recess permitting and limiting the reverse movement of the spindle and the working engagement of the saw with the positioned matrix, a spring element acting upon the spindle carrier to constantly urge the spindle toward the matrix trackage, means for manually retr'acting the spindle carrier and releasably holding it with the spindle away from the matrix trackage and the saw out of engagement with the positioned matrix, and a manually operable stop device on said supporting bracket of said spindle carrier for arresting the operation of the matrix feeding means.

8. In the herein described machine for reconditioning matrices, a horizontal hat-surfaced annular grinding element, a dished carrier for said grinding element having an axially bored hub portion, a vertical driving shaft having a screwthreaded lower portion and a reduced upper portion fitted to the hub bore of the grinding element carrier, said shaft having a screw-threaded axial bore in its upper end portion, an internally threaded supporting and adjusting sleeve fitted on the screw-threaded portion of said driving shaft, a lock nut on said shaft to impinge the lower end of said sleeve, the upper end of the sleevebeing formed with a headed enlargement and provided with a reduced bore to t the reduced upper end portion of said driving shaft, the meeting ends of said sleeve and hub portion of the grinding element carrier being doweled so as to rotate together, the upper end portion of the driving shaft extending above the hub portion of the grinding element carrier, a superposed collar on the hu-b portion of said carrier surrounding and extending above the end portion of the driving shaft, a cap disk on said collar, said disk having a central opening, and a retaining screw inserted through said opening of the cap disk and fitted in the axial end bore of the driving shaft.

9. In a machine for reconditioning matrices, a grinding element over which the matrices are passed lineally with intermittent travel from trackage interposed between the grinding element and a receiving magazine, a reciprocatory ejector operating to move the matrices one at a time from the bottom of a pile thereof in the magazine, spring-actuated means for moving the ejector in the direction to discharge a matrix from the magazine, adjustable means for varying the matrix-ejecting stroke of the ejector, means for positively moving said ejector to a definite retracted position on each reciprocation thereof, said last named means comprising a rotating cam plate peripherally formed for engagement with a cooperative extension of said ejector, a driving spindle on which said cam plate is freely rotatable, clutch means for releasably interlocking said cam plate with said driving spindle whereby the plate is rotated by and with the spindle, friction brake means between the spindle and plate, manually operable means for disengaging said clutch means, matrix marking means comprising a rotary saw having a driving connection with said driving spindle, said saw being mounted for movement toward and from the matrix trackage between the magazine and grinding element, spring-actuated means for moving the saw toward the matrix trackage,

a peripherally formed controlling member rotatable by and with the `aforesaid cam plate for moving and periodically holding said saw away from the matrix trackage and having provision for limiting the movement of the saw under the influence of its spring-actuated moving means toward the matrix trackage, manually operable means for retracting the saw from the matrix trackage and releasably holding it in retracted position, and adjustable delivery means including a drawer for receiving the dressed matrices from' the grinding element and delivering them in a group from the machine, the drawer being impelled forwardly with a step-by-step movement by actuating mechanism operated by said'cam plate in timed relation to the operation of the matrix ejector, and the marking saw being actuated to and from marking position during a period of rest of the matrices in the line between the magazine and grinding element.

10. A machine of the character described for reconditioning matrices, including a horizontally rotating,` hat-surfaced, annular grinding' element, with a correlated trackway in a plane thereabove over a contiguous portion of which the respective matrices to be reconditioned are passed onto the grinding element, said grinding element being mounted on a centrally depressed rotary carrier, and, in combinationtherewith, a protective housing closely and surroundingly encasing said carrier with the grinding element thereon and also a contiguous portion of the correlated trackway, said'housing having a circular side wall surrounding the grinding element carrier and the element thereon and in close relation thereto and a correspondingly depressed bottom portion in which the depressed portion of the grinding element carrier is received freely rotatable therein, and the housing being closed throughout the extent thereof except for an opening in its side wall at the place where the trackway enters therein, a diametrically opposed opening in its side wall for the discharge of the dressed matrices from the grinding element and an outlet opening remote from and located between said other openings in close and direct proximity to the top surface of the grinding element and having a communicable duct connection to a suction medium whereby free dust and the detritus resulting from the grinding operation is withdrawn directly from the housing and prevented from accumulating upon the grinding element.

11. In a machine for reconditioning matrices as herein described, and including a reciprocatory ejector device for moving the matrices one at a time from a pile thereof to the conditioning means of the machine, said ejector device being spring-impelled in the direction of movement to transfer the matrices from the pile to the conditioning means, and, in combination therewith, a rotating cam element for controlling the movement of said ejector device under the iniiuence of its impelling spring and functioning to positively actuate said ejector device in its reverse movement, a driving spindle on which said cam element is mounted to rotate freely thereon, said spindle having a ratchet head, a spring pressed latch element movably mounted on said cam element and normally in releasable interlocking engagement with said ratchet head of the driving spindle, and manually operable stop means for arresting the cam element in its rotation, said stop means comprising an oscillatory lever element movable to and from a neutral position,

one end portion of said lever element being 1ocated in its normal position adjacent the path of said latch element on the cam element and transfer the matrices from the pile to the conditioning means, the impelling mechanism for said ejector device including a rocking lever and an adjustable stop element in the path of said rocking lever for variably limiting the movement of the lever on the matrix ejecting stroke of the ejector device, and means for positively moving said ejector device and returning it to a definite retracted position on each reciprocaton thereof, said last named means including a rotating cam element against the periphery of which an anti-friction thrust member provided on the ejector device is held `by the influence of the actuating spring of the ejector device during the major working travel of the cam periphery.

JOHN E. SHEAFFER. 

